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Strawberries are intriguing fruits, often misunderstood in their composition and classification. Although the term "strawberry" might suggest it's a berry, it isn't. To add to the mystery, those white spots on strawberries that look like seeds? They aren't seeds either.
These white spots are called achenes. Each achene you see on the outside of a strawberry is actually the fruit itself, containing a single seed within. The term "achene" describes a simple, dry fruit produced by various flowering plants, including familiar ones like quinoa, buckwheat, and even cannabis.
So, if strawberries aren't berries, what are they?
Strawberries belong to a category of fruit called aggregation fruit, which are members of the Rosaceae family. This group comprises other fruits like raspberries and blackberries. They all belong to the rose family.
The term "berry" can be a bit confusing. While commonly used to describe any small, edible fruit with seeds, in botanical terms, a berry must have three specific characteristics: multiple seeds, and three layers - an exocarp (outer skin), mesocarp (middle skin), and endocarp (inner layer). True berries develop from a single ovary of a flower. Surprisingly, this means that fruits like grapefruits, limes, and pumpkins are technically berries.
On the other hand, strawberries are essentially the receptacle tissue of the plant that supports the achenes on its surface. When pollinated, the strawberry doesn't grow as many fruits do. Instead, the receptacle tissue expands, while the actual fruit divides into small achenes. These achenes aren't berries either, as they contain only one seed.
Interestingly, many strawberry plants don't even reproduce from these seeds. As they grow, strawberry plants produce "runners". These runners are like strawberry clones; when they touch the ground, they root and grow into a new plant.
Strawberries might not fit neatly into common fruit categories, but their uniqueness makes them even more fascinating. They join a diverse group of fruits in the aggregation category and stand out due to their distinct growth and reproduction processes.